Florida: 5 Things To Know For July 24th

Your daily look at news, upcoming events and the stories that will be talked about today.

APPEAL COURT WON’T UNBLOCK FLORIDA GAY MARRIAGE

A Florida appeals court refused on Wednesday to overturn a judge’s order that is blocking gay couples from getting married in the Florida Keys. The Miami-based 3rd District Court of Appeal refused to invalidate a Monroe County judge’s decision temporarily preventing a wedding for Aaron Huntsman and William Lee Jones and other gay couples.

1 DEAD, 2 INJURED BY LIGHTNING STRIKE

A lightning strike has killed one person and injured two others on Fort Myers Beach in southwest Florida. The Lee County Sheriff’s Office says 41-year-old Scott Wilcox of Lehigh Acres was struck by lightning shortly after 2 p.m. Tuesday. The strike apparently killed Wilcox instantly.

FLORIDA DETECTIVE GETS 9 YEARS FOR CREDIT CARD FRAUD

A former South Florida police detective has been sentenced to more than nine years in prison for identity theft and credit card fraud. The U.S. Attorney’s Office reports that 39-year-old William Garcia was sentenced Wednesday. The former Sweetwater detective was convicted in April of conspiracy, use of a counterfeit access device and 10 counts of aggravated identity theft. Besides the prison term, Garcia must also pay $13,000 in restitution.

STATE SHUTS DOWN JACKSONVILLE PUPPY MILL

Florida has frozen assets and halted the operations of what officials say was a large English bulldog puppy mill in Jacksonville. On Wednesday, Attorney General Pam Bondi said a judge temporarily shut down the business and froze the mill’s assets while officials seek restitution for consumers. Bondi says more than 700 English bulldogs were sold for more than $1million total, and that the five lied about the health and pedigree of the animals.

MOUNTED PATROL OFFICER SHOOTS DOG

A Miami mounted patrol officer fatally shot a dog that was attacking his police horse. The shooting happened Tuesday afternoon in Little Havana. Police say the officer was in his assigned area at Domino Park when he saw a stray dog charge at his horse, Sara. The officer tried to move the horse out of harm’s way but the dog bit the horse..